Google - will they help save the planet?

[webbie]

Good article on plug-in hybrids....

http://money.cnn.com/2007/06/19/news/economy/google_plugin/

and:
"Google also said it has turned on its massive solar panel instillation at the company's Mountain View, Calif. headquarters.

At 1.6 megawatts, Google said it's the biggest solar project on a corporate campus in the U.S., and one of the largest in the world."

Go Google! 1.6 MW is a lot of power!

 

[keyman512us]

Web, It's kind of interesting to hear this from Google.

One thing I'm surprised Google hasn't done (in terms of how a corporation runs...advertizing etc.) Is to advertize itself as "The Greenest search engine on the world wide web". I was watching a program on DTMS (Direct TV CH 285 "Discovery Times Channel) something like "Green...The new Red White and Blue". In the program reference was made to the Google server facilty...which is located close by large hyro-electric sources...in the "Dales Oregon" area.

I would be interested in "company insights" on the matter...but I am perhaps a little jaded towards hydro...as some would claim it's benefits are negated because of it's enviromental impacts...

 

[webbie]

Some of this stuff is too complex to measure. Hydro is certainly powerful, and in many cases (not all), the benefits of energy, irrigation, and drinking water offset the environmental effects. We just are not going to go "back to the land" as a whole at this point.

Google located near those plants because of the COST of electricity, not the renewable nature. But they have a plan in place to be carbon neutral (whatever that means).....well, at least they are trying and 1.6 megawatts of panels on one building is pretty impressive!

Then we have to measure what google does - what is the effect? In my view, they are in a sense educating hundreds of millions (and eventually billions) of people. When we are educated, we are less likely to dump the old mattress by the side of the road or pour the used motor oil down the storm drain.

Of course, that is a simplistic and optimistic outlook, but it is part of the picture.